IN the absence of the F-Series truck in Australia – which is the world’s best-selling vehicle, by the way – Ford is offering us the next best thing in the form of the Raptor, a range-topping Ranger with an all-new 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel, 10-speed auto, widened guards, an uprated cabin and the coil-sprung rear end from the closely-related Everest SUV.

The result ought to push the newcomer to the forefront of the medium pick-up class, but with no driver-assist tech at launch and much-gutsier V6 diesels in key rivals, does the Raptor have the claws it requires?